REPLAY: Live stream college footy - Hearts prove too strong for Rostrevor in 97th intercol
Crows champ Mark Bickley was our expert commentator as Sacred Heart came home strong to down Rostrevor in the 97th football intercol. Hear what the dual-premiership skipper had to say and relive all the action now.
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Sacred Heart coach Jon Symonds says he could not be prouder of his side after taking home a 41-point win in the 97th intercol against Rostrevor on Saturday.
Hearts’ class around the stoppage and their ability to use the ball better led to a 12.16 (88) to 7.5 (47) victory at Rostrevor.
The visitors, who entered the match with a 6-1 record, were challenged but a strong final term led them to their second intercol triumph in a row after prevailing last year.
“I couldn’t be prouder of them,” Symonds said.
“Even though we were only a point up at half-time I wasn’t unhappy with how we were playing.
“We just had to refine a few things.
“They (Rostrevor) play their home ground well, they are hard to beat out here and they have a lot of quality in their side.
“But I was most impressed at how we stayed calm.
“I think we got good, honest effort and we have a system that the players understand really well.”
Defender Cooper Beecken, who had been likened to ex-Sacred Heart scholar and former Geelong star Andrew Mackie and current Hawthorn player Will Day, won the medal as Hearts’ best-on-ground.
“He reads the ball very well, knows when to punch, knows when to intercept mark,” Symonds said.
“His draft year is not until next year but I would be very surprised if there’s not a few recruiters taking notice.”
Rostrevor, meanwhile, went in as the underdog despite a big win against Pembroke last week.
The Red and Blacks put up a solid fight for the first three quarters, led by skipper and midfield bull Xavier Tranfa.
Rostrevor was only 15 points behind at the final break and was kicking with the wind in the last term.
The hosts’ work rate could not be questioned but they were unable to match Sacred Heart’s work around the contest in the fourth quarter.
Rostrevor coach James Allan said Sacred Heart handled the pressure of the occasion better.
“I think they were probably just a bit classier than us,” Allan said.
“We fumbled a lot and put ourselves under a lot of pressure.
“In that last quarter they sort of just ran away with it.
“It was there to be won at three-quarter time.
“We thought the game was there to be won at three-quarter time and we were still in it
“But it didn’t turn out that way.”
Allan said his young side, which consisted of a fair few Year 10s, would be better for the experience.
“After an ordinary 10 minutes, I thought our next quarter and a half was excellent,” Allan said.
“We were under a fair bit of pressure in that third quarter but we stuck in there.”
Tough Rostrevor midfielder Tyson Walls claimed the Red and Blacks’ best-on-ground medal.
“Tyson is only a Year 11 and he just has a crack,” Allan said.
“You know what you’re going to get from him week in and week out.
“His effort is outstanding, he’s hard as a cat’s head and it was no surprise e played well again today.”
The match was live streamed on advertiser.com.au, with commentary from dual Adelaide Crows premiership captain Mark Bickley and Messenger sports reporter Daniela Abbracciavento.
Sacred Heart finished second on percentage and will now take on Henley next week in the Statewide Knockout Open Schools Football Cup semi-final.
Despite Prince Alfred losing its intercol against St Peter’s, the Reds still finished top on percentage and will go straight through to the Statewide Knockout Open Schools Football Cup grand final which will be played in a fortnight’s time.